The Elite
by Optimus Magnus
Summary: In Hogwarts time of need, they are here.  Invisible, silent and dangerous.  In these times, Who Dares Wins.
1. Chapter 1

Minerva McGonagall slowly drank in the sobering sight in front of her. It was the door to the principal's office, only now it bore her name and not the name Albus Dumbledore. With a stiff upper lip, she opened the door and walked in. Nothing she'd ever done would ever prepare her for the sobering sight of an office that was dim and sullen without its former occupant.

"Why, Severus? WHY?" she lost her famous composure for a moment and slammed her fist on the desk.

The shock of it dislodged some papers, and seemingly innocuous piece of parchment floated down and landed on her lap. Distracted she picked it up and read it. Frowning and adjusting her glasses, she read the paper again.

_'Floo to this place upon my death. Irons Manor,_

_Albus Dumbledore'_

Curious beyond reason for a moment, Minerva grabbed some Floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. Calling out the name of the place, Minerva stepped into the fireplace.

She emerged in a large old English hall with a roaring fire in a conventional fireplace. Milling around in uniforms were five men, each wore a sand coloured beret that bore an insignia she didn't recognise: a winged sword with the words 'Who Dares Wins' across them. A tall man with salt and pepper hair and weather-beaten features stood up and smiled.

"Welcome Professor to my home. To attention gentleman!" he called briskly.

The other four men immediately snapped to attention. Then all five saluted her. Minerva was understandably shocked at this action and took a few minutes for her to compose herself enough to ask a question.

"Who are you people?" she asked.

"I ma'am am Captain William Irons, of Her Majesty's 22nd SAS Regiment. I am also, from Auror Elite Division. As are my four men here with me tonight" Captain Irons turned and got his men to step forward one at a time to introduce themselves.

"Lieutenant Jackson Hardcastle of Her Majesty's 22nd SAS Regiment and Auror Elite" a man with jet-black hair and scar on his neck.

"Corporal Alistair Lynx, as above ma'am" a dashing young man with glasses and winning smile said, his red hair reminding Minerva of the Weasley family.

"Corporal Eamon Vale, as above also ma'am" the quite man spoke softly but firmly.

"I'm Trooper George Fisher, newest member here ma'am" a more nervous man with brown hair spoke last, his accent was slightly Scottish.

This was clearly the best-kept secret in the wizard world. Minerva had never heard of them before. Auror Elite Division was known well enough and she'd met many members of it before, but never any of these men.

"I thought the Aurors only became a more combat ready unit in the 70's with the rise of Lord Voldermort" Minerva mentioned, trying to extract information.

"While it is certainly true that Aurors as a whole were little more than police officers before Voldie's little coup attempt, there was a serious problem happening in Germany" Irons got comfortable and began to tell his tale.

_The SAS itself was formed in North Africa; part to improve the ability of British Army to defeat the enemy but also to stop Shaman's in Africa helping Rommel and his men. After that particular success, dire news reached them. A fact kept from most history books is that during World War II while the Nazi's decimated those they believed to not fit the Aryan model, another more secret crime was being perpetrated. Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels were all Dark Wizards, and upon seeing the political instability in Germany post World War I saw a chance to create a world in a vision of which Voldermort would be proud._

_So they formed the Nazi party and although officially the party's policy is what you would read in any post war textbook, the most inner circle knew that the three would use this as a chance to also attempt to wipe out Muggle-born wizards and Muggles in general see to a perceived restoration of Pure Blood Wizard supremacy. The death camps that held and killed millions of innocent people did not discriminate between Wizard and Muggle._

_Each of the three men had a particular area of expertise they would use. Hitler himself was a charismatic man who could orate so well he rarely had to lace his voice with magic to garner the responses he did. Goebbels could create posters, recorded voice and film and literature to hypnotise and place those that read it under a form the Imperious curse. Himmler was nothing short of a lunatic; it was he who devised the spells and charms that kept magical prisoners in his murderous camps and was also able to find a way to capture the Avada Kedavra power and recreate it into the powerful gas used in the extermination camps. The formula and notes on this practice were thankfully destroyed._

Irons stopped a moment to allow Minerva to catch her breath. Although the threat of Voldermort was closer now, some old Wizards say he could have had the seed planted from nothing. Minerva now believed she knew where Riddle's twisted ideology became the murderous delusions that he was famous for.

"Shall I continue, Professor, this tale is not one I like to tell, so I do not impart it lightly" he said softly.

"How could this have happened, surely the German Ministry would have stopped them" she said through pursed lips.

Irons said nothing in direct relation to that question, but instead continued on his tale.

_Himmler became leader of a group in Germany known as the SS. When the time was right, Himmler, corrupt German Aurors and other dark Wizards within the community staged a coup, and invaded the Ministry building and executed all members inside. On the outside, the SS concerned itself with arresting enemies of the Nazi German state. In its inner walls, a group later known as the 'Verteidiger des reinen Bluts', or Defenders of the Pure Blood, were used to exterminate pockets of wizard resistance._

_The British Ministry of Magic became aware via an agent in MI6 of the plans these three held and included some new ones to bring dark magic into the fold completely by employing Necromancy. The SAS were sent in behind enemy lines to destroy all relevant research and any fruits of past labours in what became known in the Intelligence Community as 'The Wolfenstein Encounter' and the SAS destroyed everything, both helped and hindered by and American Muggle Army Ranger who'd gone in to find out what was going on. With the help of Marquis Wizards and other POW's the facility was totally demolished. After the D-Day Landings, Aurors began filtering into Germany and France to bring the Defenders of the Pure Blood to justice and conducted trials at the 'Cour Du Monde De Magicien' in France much like the Nuremberg Trials for the Muggle War Criminals. The SAS were also responsible for the execution of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Gobels and removal of their bodies from the bunker in Berlin. A member of the Auror Undercover Unit was in Luneberg and used the Imperious to force Himmler to commit suicide._

Minerva was now aghast. How close had the world come to such madness before Voldermort. Having lived through the Second World War, Minerva knew of the atrocities to Muggles but had no idea how deep the hateful ideology went, or how far its evil perpetrators were willing to take it.

"I have been a friend of Albus Dumbledore for many years, professor; he would not send someone in his stead unless he was dead. You are seeking out help I take it?" Irons asked.

"Yes, Harry Potter is now in graver danger than he knows. And despite what he may want otherwise, he must return to school in his final year. He needs protection, but the Order of the Phoenix cannot protect him all the time. And since he is at school he is surrounded by possibly, innocent bystanders. I need you five to help me protect the students" Minerva explained at length.

"Of course. Any moment now, the British Defence Minister will be receiving notes telling of our demise in the service of Great Britain" Irons paused and rose again from his seat.

"Look sharp lads, this is the big one. Load up for a long term deployment of a covert nature" Irons spoke firmly to his men.

Again they snapped to attention and saluted. Then they dispersed into another room, with Irons and Minerva following. The next room was full of tables and on those tables were weapons, Muggle firearms to be exact, and all of them military grade.

"Pack your kits lads; you know the drill, assault, sniping and close combat. Alistair find some of that charming C4 we got from Seal Team Six last time we were with them" Irons began handing out the orders.

"Vale, get the special uniforms and weapon camouflage from that locker, we need to be totally invisible, so also make sure you pack those knives and triple check the silencing charms on those weapons" Lieutenant Hardcastle was making sure all the ammunition was charmed with the three newest and most secret charms in Britain.

Alistair, Eamon and George had put together a kit that would outfit just about any paramilitary force or counter terrorism unit on earth. FN-F2000, Steyr AUG, HK MP-5. In addition to the rifles there was a bizarre looking gun called a SPAS-15 as well as a HK Tactical and FN Five Seven pistol. A single large and long green coloured weapon that had a small bipod mounted beneath the barrel sat in one kit.

"We make sure all our equipment will serve our needs, be the enemy magical or otherwise" Irons noticed Minerva's somewhat nervous look.

"Kits are ready to be distributed captain" Jackson approached his superior and saluted before speaking.

"Excellent, Reducio the kits and change into some more, common wizard's dress robes and we'll be on our way" Irons replied.

Jackson went to each separate kit and performed the shrinking spell on each of them so they would fit into a special set of small cigar boxes. With their things, packed, Minerva saw about getting them back to Hogwarts.

----------------Hogwarts---------------

Remus Lupin and Hagrid were waiting in the Headmistress's office at Hogwarts. Headmistress, that really would take some getting used to they both thought. Dumbledore had few personal effects and Minerva even less so the move was barely noticeable to casual visitor, but these two men had been friends of Albus Dumbledore for a long time and could tell the office lacked the sparkle it once had.

"How've you been holding up Hagrid?" Remus asked.

"Oh, not s'bad. Fang's been mopin' about something awful. Can't say I blame 'im" Hagrid answered.

"Yeah, I've been feeling pretty down myself" Remus chuckled mirthlessly.

"When's 'Arry coming back to Sirius's place?" Hagrid knew that the death of Dumbledore affected the boy greatly.

"In a week, I'm going to get him personally. Moody will be with me, and after that I dare say Harry may never have to go back to those horrible people" Remus hated the Dursley family almost as much as they hated him and other wizards.

Both looked nonchalantly as the fireplace erupted in green light and Minerva McGonagall stepped out. Both men went to speak but were struck in silence at the others accompanying McGonagall out of the fire, all dressed in what looked like Auror robes. Remus looked between his old teacher and the new arrivals and awaited an explanation.

"Hagrid, Lupin. These gentlemen are the best kept wizarding secret in the world; I wish to keep it that way" she paused to allow that to sink in, and then continued.

"That being said, Captain Irons, this is Remus Lupin and Rubeus Hagrid. Hagrid is our Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts and Remus Lupin is to hopefully to return as our Defence against the Dark Arts instructor" Minerva introduced them to Irons.

"Pleasure to meet you both. Hagrid, you'd know this castle fairly well wouldn't you say?" Irons asked the half giant.

"That I do, sir" Hagrid pronounced happily.

"Hagrid would be willing to show one of my men around so he can draw me some tactical maps?" Irons requested.

"I'd be honoured, I'll get Filch to help as well he knows it better than anyone" Hagrid felt a little more important than usual.

"Good. Corporal Lynx, if you would" Irons assigned the task and watched as the two men began to chat amiably.

"Okay, Lupin I will be having a word with the Ministry in a little while as we need both a Defence teacher and a Transfiguration teacher. I must sadly give up that role with my new duties" Minerva spoke to Lupin with a tight lip.

"Minerva, who are these men?" Lupin managed to ask his own question.

"We are the Elite Aurors of the ministry, Mr. Lupin. We're here because the times call for a higher loyalty than that of government needs to be recognised. Albus Dumbledore was a friend of mine, and I intend to see his school safely though these times" Captain Irons stated.

"With due respect, you cannot hide five very conspicuous looking Aurors, even in a place as vast as Hogwarts" Lupin pointed out dryly.

"Do not worry, Mr. Lupin, me and my men have a particular talent for concealing ourselves. How long until the students return?" Irons turned Minerva.

"Two months" she replied.

"Okay, at the end of two months Lupin, you'll never see us unless we are really needed" Irons smiled and asked a final question.

"Yes, you may use one of the Dungeons. I trust you can see to the appropriate charms and spells to keep it a secret" Minerva had her last conversation with Irons.

"Yes, we can. Men, lets go" Irons instructed after being given the paper with the name of the Dungeon on it they were to use.

Over the course of the two months, William and his men setup a base of operations inside the spare dungeon. Alistair had made a map of Hogwarts that would have had the Marauders salivating in its detail. Listing every secret passage way and every position of post and most importantly, every entry point: including magical ones.

"Okay, we've established a rotating patrol that allows us to cover the most ground during the day. The only time of real danger is a Hogsmeade Weekend" Eamon was their surveillance specialist.

"Because they're all out and about doing kids things. Okay, it's a stretch but Eamon, draw us up a schedule for us to take rotating shifts in Hogsmeade, a chance to take off the suits and order a butterbeer" Irons made a small concession to that.

"Aside from that sir, we're done. Everything is in place; we've tested our communication equipment and our charms are strong enough counteract the ones in place here, so they work" Jackson gave his own report.

"Well, the children come back tomorrow; so suit up, comm units on and lock and load at 0600 tomorrow, we will be on the Hogwarts Express" Irons gave the final order.


	2. Chapter 2

--------Platform 9 ¾---------

Harry Potter sat with his trunk and Owl, Hedwig, waiting for his friends and the Hogwarts Express in a very sombre mood. Despite his initial jubilation hearing that Hogwarts would be operating for his final year, the lack of Dumbledore made it seem a bit worthless.

"I miss him, Hedwig, I really miss him" Harry spoke softly to the owl.

Hedwig gave a low, mournful hoot. Indeed even this humble train platform seemed duller than last time Harry saw it. The other students who were milling around even seemed to have lost colour in their skin and their eyes. The weather wasn't much better either, being overcast and threatening rain. Harry looked up and saw some of the first years chatting animatedly.

"Let's hope nothing happens to make them afraid of Hogwarts, eh Hedwig?" again Harry asked his owl.

Then something else caught Harry's eye: some of the Slytherin students. They looked as miserable as the rest of them, even more so then he. Despite all his misgivings of certain students of the house, Harry was reasonably sure that the majority of them were decent people. Sadly, a few had cast them all in a light of suspicion and hatred. It had taken all of a few seconds for the news of Snape and other Slytherin students being involved in Dumbledore's murder to travel around the rest of the student body.

"I get the feeling that rivalry will become war if we're not careful" a slightly airy voice made Harry look up.

"Oh, Luna, how are you?" Harry was glad to see a familiar face.

"I've been feeling sad, but, father and I went looking for some Blibbering Humdinger in Africa, we came close" Luna said, absently playing with her necklace of butterbeer corks.

"Seen any of the others around?" Harry asked, seeing the subject of last year was still a little raw.

"I saw Neville speaking with a 6th year Hufflepuff; he seemed rather taken with her" Luna said.

"Well, perhaps a nicer event to start the year" Harry said, hoping to add some levity to the morning.

Luna's response was drowned out by the explosive entrance of Ron, who was hooning down the platform on his trolley, with what appeared to be a propulsion flame shooting from his rear end. Ron was screaming bloody murder until his trolley hit a pillar and the flame disappeared and he fell flat on his back.

"Oh, that did not go well for Ron" he muttered in his prone state, looking up to see Harry and Luna.

"Ron, is this something you should be warning us about or have you been eating vindaloo again?" Harry asked.

"Fred and George's new invention, they asked me to test it. You'd think I'd learn" he chuckled.

"How are you pants?" Harry asked, holding his hand out to help Ron up.

"Not sure" Ron groaned as he got up.

"How about your bum, Ronald, does it hurt?" Luna asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Oddly enough, uh, no" Ron was nervous about the look Luna was giving him.

"Is Hermione here?" Ron turned to Harry, who was retrieving a cloak for Ron to borrow.

"I haven't seen her, but that doesn't mean she's not here" Harry answered, handing Ron a full length coat.

"Oh, okay" Ron was downcast at the news.

The three sat down across their trunks and just talked about their summers. Ron spent his thinking and helping George and Fred try out their joke products, some were more fun than others. Luna simply reiterated what she'd said to Harry, elaborating a little for Ron's benefit. Harry simply said that the Dursely's were glad to be rid of him again for another year.

"Since you turned seventeen, now you can use magic outside of school, did you do anything to the Muggles?" Ron asked with a wry grin on his face.

"Nah, I just made my room huge. Turned my old bed into a king size, just had some fun" Harry said.

"Hmm, I was half expecting you to leave them in full body binds. Are you going to move into Grimmauld Place after this year?" Ron remembered that Harry could now leave if so chose.

"If I'm still alive after this year is out, yes, I will" he said softly.

"No need for such morbid thoughts" another female voice caught Harry's attention.

Harry looked up only to be greeted with a quick kiss on his nose. It was Ginny; she may have arrived later than Ron for fear of being associated with him due to his, spectacular entrance. Harry smiled a little and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Ah, young love" Ron teased.

Harry rolled his eyes, which nearly bugged out of his head when Ginny plopped down in his lap. Ron kept giggling at them, they ignored them and Lune simple read the Quibbler, upside down as per usual. The train had nearly pulled into the station when Hermione finally showed up, panting pushing a trolley with her trunk and Crookshanks on it, the part Kneazle looking a little perturbed.

"Hermione, this tardiness is very unusual, it must have been important" Ron was on fire, a witty comment for everything.

"This from the man who entered thanks to 'Liar Liar Pants on Fire – Truth Detector' propulsion" Ginny pointed out.

"Touché" Ron got back in his metaphorical box.

With a great hissing of steam and squealing of brakes, the giant red Hogwarts Express train pulled into the station and the students began milling onto the train, packing their trunks and securing their pets for travel. Neville, true to form, lost Trevor his unassuming but ugly toad. A squeal from a compartment of young girls quickly revealed the toad's location.

"Think the Slytherin will give us any grief on this run?" Ron asked.

"No, given their chief instigator of trouble and, somewhat biased head of house are gone, I imagine they will be keeping a very low profile" Hermione watched Harry out of the corner of her eye.

At the alluding of Severus Snape, Harry gripped the arms rest tightly, his knuckles going white. Ginny looked at Hermione and they wondered if this would explosive Harry 2.0 this year. The trip was spent mainly in silence. Unbeknownst to any student on that train, five men were patrolling the carriages. Irons and his men had boarded the train at Hogsmeade, made a cursory check for any kind of trap or hidden Portkeys. Satisfied they'd found nothing, the train had left and they'd changed into their invisibility uniforms.

Made of a more breathable fibre than standard invisibility cloak, the uniform covered, everything, a special piece of light bending glass made up an acceptable visor. Silencing Charms were cast on their thick boots.

"X-Ray 1, I've located Harry Potter and nothing else to report" Eamon said via his comm. link.

"Good, make sure it stays that way" Irons hoped at the very least the train ride to Hogwarts would be trouble free.

"Roger, Uniform 1 out" his corporal's curt reply cut his thought train off.

Up on the roof of the train, Jackson was strapped into a kneeling position, a large green rifle with scope in his hands. Nothing untoward was getting near this train without him knowing about it. So far it had been the most boring journey he'd ever had in his entire life. Still, a bored soldier is better than a dead one.

Finally, there's Hogsmeade Station Jackson thought and got on his radio.

"X-Ray 1, we're approaching Hogsmeade Station. ETA is about three minutes" Jackson said.

"Received Uniform 3, we'll be ready" Irons then switched to an all units broadcast/

"All units, rendezvous with Uniform 3, Hogsmeade arrival imminent" he ordered.

"Received" his men replied.

Making their way to the closest exit, the SAS troops all clung to the ladders at the coach's joiners. As soon as the train stopped, they scrambled up and ran towards Jackson, able to see him due to a filter in the glass, not unlike Moody's magical eye.

"Okay, now we head to the Shrieking Shack, and we'll be on Hogwarts grounds, lets go" Irons said.

Once the students had dispersed away from the station; the troops Apperated to the Shrieking Shack.

--------Hogwarts-----

Harry and the others travelled again in silence, it only occasionally broke when one of the carriages bumped and made Ron, who was now the tallest of them, hit his head on the roof. For someone so sheltered from Muggles, he knew an amazing amount of their profanity.

"Okay, here we are" Ron said, jumping out of the carriage almost before it had stopped.

He offered his hand to Hermione to help her out. Ginny smirked and Harry giggled, Ron was never very subtle with his flirting. Luna looked at Ron as if she were analysing him, and took the hand he proffered to her, although this time it was a courteous gesture. Harry like wise helped Ginny off the carriage, although he simply lifted her by the hips and set her on the ground.

"Not exactly a very gentlemanly way to help me down" she said with a grin.

"No, but the expression on your face was worth it" he sniggered and got their trunks down.

"You're a very bad boy, Harry, I'll have to punish you for it" she said a salacious smirk on her face as she turned and walked off.

"Is that a promise?" he called after her.

Hedwig seemed to shudder, indicating the owl was wiser than most. There was a better mood now they were back here, despite everything that had happened there, Hogwarts was still a warm and inviting place and inspired a feeling of safety in its students.

"Come on, we'll miss the sorting ceremony if we don't hurry up" Ron called to his friends as the straggled behind.

They broke into a quicker jog and soon found themselves at the gates and entered. The Great Hall was as they remember it, bright and full of tables. Bidding Luna a farewell as she went to join the other Ravenclaw students, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione took a seat, Ginny at her year table. Harry looked up on the teachers table and saw Professor McGonagall in the headmaster's seat. Casting a Sonorus spell, McGonagall got up and began speaking.

"Attention students, before the sorting ceremony begins I have some news for you. Professor Horace Slughorn will be staying on as Potions Master and also as of now is head of Slytherin House" pausing for her words to sink in, she looked directly at Harry.

"Further more, the new professor of Defence against the Dark Arts will be, Remus Lupin, who as also accepted my offer to become Head of Gryffindor House" this news brought about a roaring round of applause as Remus arrived, a smile on his face.

"This is bloody brilliant, Lupin got reinstated and became head of house, how cool is that" Ron was as enthusiastic as anyone.

"Good thing too, we'll be getting some quality instruction again" Hermione agreed.

"And our new Transfiguration teacher is, Delores Umbridge" she said that with very ill-disguised disgust.

An equally disgusted murmur overtook the students as the fat woman again invaded their beloved school. Harry's eyes darkened noticeably, as did Hermione's and Ron's. In fact the vast majority of the students, even a good portion of Slytherin made non-verbal disgust apparent. It didn't seem to dampen the woman's egotistical smirk.

"That being said, let us begin the sorting" McGonagall said, reversing the Sonorus spell.

The hat was brought forward and the Prefects, which Included Hermione and Neville, assisted the first years in getting to their assigned houses. Everyone noticed mixed emotions on students faces when a new Slytherin housemate was announced. It didn't take too long to get through the sorting, the feast appeared.

"I've lost my appetite" Harry scowled at his food, imagining it was Umbridge.

"I haven't" Ron said and began tucking in.

Harry eventually managed to force down a few slices of lamb and some potato. Soon after, Harry and the other 7th years retired to their dorms. All while under the watchful eyes of the SAS. When the students were all in their dorms and common rooms, each man went on his patrol. Irons had Jackson in the highest tower in the castle, his trusty cannon at hand while he and the other three patrolled the four major areas that surrounded the student dorms.

"Uniform 3, this is X-Ray 1, do you see anything?" Irons asked his sniper.

"Nothing sir, request permission to retire for the night. Uniform 1 and 2 set up half a dozed different alarm charms of the silent nature. Everything is covered" Jackson said, stifling a yawn.

"Granted, head back to base. Uniform 1, Uniform 2 and Uniform 4, pack it in too. I'll join you in a few minutes" Irons signed off.

Sighing he hefted his rifle and slung it around his shoulder and walked towards McGonagall's office, leaving a surveillance charm in effect in the common room that would alert him if anyone other than Filch entered the room. He came across the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office and spoke the password, although he had to remove his balaclava.

"Phoenix Feathers" had anyone approached that moment; they'd have seen a severed head floating in mid air.

The gargoyle moved aside accommodatingly and Irons walked inside. McGonagall and Lupin were waiting for him. After exchanging some basic how's your father, Irons gave them a run down on what he'd seen today.

"Aside from a few plots to murder this Professor Umbridge, nothing really. What's her story anyway, the students looked like they'd sooner be taught by a vampire?" he asked.

"Professor Umbridge, if you could call her a professor, was stationed here two years ago in Lupin's position, her teaching was poor and she was spreading the seed of discontent among the staff and students, turning this place into a virtually ministry run school" she explained.

"How so?" Irons was curious: if there was to be a power monger in the staff, he wanted to know.

"She was appointed High Inquisitor, a ridiculous title, and began issuing edicts banning staff and students from nearly any activity without her personal permission. And she tried to have myself, Dumbledore, Hagrid and Sybil Trelawny sacked" Minerva explained it further.

"Hmmm, I think we better watch her. I don't want some ministry power monkey throwing a wrench in my works here" Irons stated.

"Nor do we" Lupin said in agreement.

"Okay, I will take one more look around the castle's major areas and then retire, there are surveillance charms in each common room and at every dorm entrance, if anyone goes near those places, we will know" he assured them and left the room.

"Do you think this will help keep the castle safe?" Lupin asked.

"I hope so, and besides, there is a small comfort in knowing that if Umbridge places herself out of line, there is someone here who can keep her in her place" McGonagall smirked a very smug smirk.

"Point taken, I'll see you in the morning" Lupin said, leaving the office also.

Minerva McGonagall waited till she was sure of her solitude, then she opened the draw and retrieved two items: a picture of Dumbledore and a bottle of Firewhiskey, then she fished a glass out of the drawer. Uncorking the Firewhiskey she poured a standard dram and corked and returned the bottle to the drawer. She rose her glass to the picture, which smiled and rose a glass back.

"One down, two hundred odd more to go" she said and chuckled.

Gritting her teeth, Minerva put the glass back in the drawer with the bottle, but the picture remained on the desk. It was the only real picture she had of the old bugger and damned if she was going to keep it hidden. Smiling a little, she got up.

"Whoa, been a while since I downed a dram of that stuff. And I never found out where you got it from either" she giggled at the picture before finally leaving the office.

------------------------------------


End file.
